God's Gift
by jewelsbyers
Summary: The only thing I ever wanted was a child. Now, after nine hundred years, God has answered my prayers and the sweet baby he has put in my arms is my lily in this garden of thistles and thorns. My Líle.
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: **__Before you read this you MUST read the detailed summary and notes on 'God's Gift' on my profile. This story will be difficult to follow if you don't have that background. If you've already read the detailed summary and notes then disregard the comment above. _

_Just to warn my readers again, this story is rated M for a reason! Kidnapping, rape, violence and religious themes that some readers may find offensive. _

**Chapter One**

It would have been pitch black for the humans when I entered their home. I was silent as the grave, perhaps even more so as, unlike the grave, I had no fear of wind tickling the grass above me or the little night animals that raced over the top of my final resting place.

I was silent. I was cold. I was death.

I was a demon woman, cursed by God centuries ago for relishing in the destruction of another creature. This is my penance. This eternity of nothing. But I do not forget God, he has looked after me throughout all my hundreds of years. Even in my penance, God does not dessert me.

Here, in this house, are my next victims. The next people in a long line of humans who have satisfied my craving for blood. The rosary around my neck catches the light of a street lamp - someone forget to close the curtains - and I take the crucifix in my right hand and, yet again, ask God why he has sent me here tonight.

Before I hunt I pray long and hard and wait for the Lord's guidance in choosing my victims. I usually prey upon those who have lost the will to live or who will pass into the Lord's waiting arms very soon. But, for all that, the Lord never leads me to blood that is sour or weak. He brings me to good blood and I always remember to thank him for it. But, tonight, I wonder if I am being tempted.

The couple in the room I am about to enter are young and healthy and have everything to live for. I wonder if God is guiding me tonight or if it is Satan tempting me. This seems like the sort of test that Satan would orchestrate. I hold tightly to the crucifix, not too tightly for fear I might crush it, and again ask if it really is God guiding me. I whisper a few Hail Mary's and, confident that the Lord has chosen that these people will be my meal tonight, I slipped quietly into their room.

I drained the woman first, simply because she was closest. I held her jaw closed and pinned her down while I drank, keeping her screaming and struggling from waking her husband. When I had drained her I moved onto her husband. I was walking back towards the front door, thanking God for providing me with such a rich and nourishing meal when I heard a whimper. I stopped and listened again and, this time, a baby started to cry.

I flew back down the hallway and into the room where the little girl - well I assumed it was a girl because the blanket over her was pink - was still bawling at the top of her lungs. I picked her up and held her close to me, before remembering I had no body heat.

What should I do now?!

In the end, I wrapped her up in her blanket and held her up against my chest, crooning softly to her. After a while she stopped crying and looked up at me with beautiful, wet eyes. Her eyes were the pale blue of all babies and I could see a few wisps of chestnut coloured hair on her sweet little head. She really was adorable.

I was about to croon softly at her again when noticed something funny about her right arm. I unwrapped the blanket and examined it closely and had to fight back a snarl of rage. Somebody had hit her. Somebody and struck a poor defenseless baby hard enough to bruise!

Some inkling of why God had sent me here to feed tonight began to swirl around in my vampire brain and, making sure I was very conscious of the tiny girl in my arms, I gave her a quick once over. There were other bruises around her mouth where someone had forced a spoon into her mouth to hard and her backside looked like one black and blue lump. Seeing her properly now I also realised that she was thinner than most babies, underfed.

I cuddled her close again and, keeping her firmly in my arms, I went into the kitchen and found some baby formula. After reading the instructions on the packet, heating it and putting it in a bottle I put it in her mouth and she sucked greedily on it, watching me with her little blue eyes.

When she was finished I hunted around for other baby things. There weren't very many. Obviously, the awful people who I'd just drained hadn't looked after her very well. I quickly sent a prayer up to God for that awful thought I'd just had and prayed that he wouldn't take my baby away, I'd already begun to think of her as my baby.

I made a sling out of a bed sheet I found in a linen cupboard so that I could put her on my back while I ran and packed a small bag with bottles, baby formula and diapers. I would stock up on what else she'd need at the next town. I wrapped her up warmly in some baby clothes I found in her room (her parents hadn't _totally_ neglected her) and she blinked sleepily up at me before closing her eyes and beginning to sleep soundly.

I kissed her forehead and put her in the sling on my back and then left the house. As I ran I decided that I would have to think of a name for my precious bundle of joy. She was beautiful, like a flower. Perhaps Róis... but no. In English, that name translated to 'Rose' and roses were ostentatious and they pricked your fingers when you tried to pick them. They were beautiful, but it was a lustful beauty, no, Róis was not a good name for my baby.

What other flower name could I give her? Something innocent, pure... a lily! Líle, yes that was a good name. Líle.

"Líle" I said softly to the night and then I smiled and offered God several prayers of thanks for granting me a child. I might have to remain a demon woman for the rest of eternity but, finally, God had forgiven me enough for my sinful thoughts all those centuries ago and had granted me my one and only wish.

_**A/N: **__What did you think? If there's any confusion just leave me a review and I'll answer as soon as I can. Just to clear up one point, Victoria is Irish, and Líle_ _is an Irish Gaelic name. _


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: Hello again! Sorry for the delay, I'm working on two stories at once and all my work for my final year of school. So, a warning before I post this chapter: as always, religious themes that may be offensive to readers but this chapter also has a flashback that features graphic violence and _non-consensual slavery_ the things that happen to Victoria in the flashback are things she _does not want _to happen. The flashback is in italics if you want to skip it, you won't miss much._

_Two years later_

"Mama, where we going?" Líle asked me and I smiled and said "We're going for a run. Does Líle like to run?"

My daughter clapped her hands "Run! Run!" she squealed and I picked her up and spun her around and she squealed again.

"Líle love mama!" she said and she put her arms around my neck and gave me a cuddle and I cuddled my precious two year old back.

_Thank you for Líle, God. Thank you with all my heart._

In the two years since I'd found my flower - because Líle was my flower - I'd said that prayer more times than I could count. I'd also said many prayers to St. Gerard since finding Líle. Although, strictly speaking, I wasn't acctually Líle's mother as I hadn't conceived, carried and given birth to her, I still believed that St. Gerard had had something to do with me finding Líle. I'd prayed to St. Gerard frequently in my human life and in my vampire life. I'd believed that, if any one other than the Lord could help me have a child when I was a cold, unchanging stone, it would be the patron saint of motherhood.

God might have forgiven my sinfulness all those centuries ago and allowed me the chance to find the child by guiding me to the house where Líle was, but I would not have found her if not for her cry. I believed it to be a miracle orchestrated by St. Gerard on the Lord's behalf and he deserved as much thanks for giving me my baby as God himself did.

"Mama, where we running to?" Líle asked me and I was jerked out of my reverie and I smiled at my daughter "We're going to run all the way to Minnesota, and then all the way back to Massachusetts! Won't that be fun baby?"

"Run fast! Run fast!" Líle squealed, clapping her hands with glee and I kissed her head of chestnut curls and her brown eyes glittered happily as I did so.

"Kiss for mama!" she said and reached up and put her lips to my cold cheek. Her little mouth was like the glowing coal from a fire to my stone face and I smiled. She would never know just how much joy she brought me, my little flower.

But there was a reason for my seemingly pointless run to Minnesota and back to Massachusetts. I'd seen my master... No! He wasn't my master anymore! I'd seen my former master lurking around some of my hunting spots and I'd had to miss church because he and a friend of his with dark skin and those vulgar things humans called 'dreadlocks' had been waiting outside for me to go in. My former master obviously hadn't forgotten just how much I prayed and how much I valued my relationship with the Lord.

But how did he know that I was here? And, much more pressing and frightening, did he know about Líle? I hoped not. If he already knew then I would do anything and everything to keep her safe from him. He would not hurt my daughter the way he had hurt me. The sixth commandment might be Thou Shalt Not Kill, but if my former master came anywhere near my baby then I would kill him without any remorse! I knew it was sinful to think this way about another being, but, when I sent a prayer to God, I didn't ask for forgiveness, but for understanding. Surely God would not punish me so harshly for wanting to protect the precious gift he had granted me? Surely he did not punish parents who killed to protect their children?

If my former master didn't know about Líle it was going to stay that way. I had no doubt that he would use her to get to me if he wanted to. And I had no doubt that he wanted me back. In his mind, and according to his brand still on my body, I belonged to him. His belonging with no more right to kindness or compassion or gentleness than a chest of drawers or a bed. A bed.

I hugged Líle to me a little tighter and she looked at my face "Mama sad?"

"It's OK, leanbán" I crooned, using the Gaelic word for baby "Even mama gets said sometimes"

"Don't be sad" she looked quite distressed at the idea that I could be upset and I kissed her again and she said "Líle make mama happy, like mama make Líle happy"

"Oh, thank you" I said to her and then I put her in a special sling I'd brought once in a human town. The sling, or carrier, or whatever it was called, was always on my back for if I needed to get away quickly with my baby.

"Run?" she said and I laughed "Run!" and she squealed as I took off at my fastest sprint. Running non-stop at this speed it would take me just under a day to get to Minnesota and the same again to get back to Massachusetts. But I didn't want to run directly there. I wanted to lay false trails and confuse the man who was hunting me. I would have liked to call him other things, but God had taught me in the hardest way possible that thinking malicious thoughts about others was a sure way to have something you craved taken away from you. I would never go through a punishment like that again because there was only one thing I had that I would regret losing.

I could feel my baby's hands in my hair as I ran and her warm little cheek pressed against my back. I smiled to myself. She was so precious to me, so special. I loved her as much as I loved the child I'd been forced to miscarry all those centuries ago. I shuddered at the memory of that dark time, dim as it was, that floated to the surface of my mind as I ran.

_"No! My lord, please! I beg you!"_

_James Witherdale's face was calm as he advanced towards me with a heavy wooden cane. From my position kneeling on the floor I curled myself over my stomach, which becoming round with the child I so desperately craved._

_"That's enough, girl" he said to me, pretending to be bored "If you run away from me, then you must be prepared to deal with the consequences"_

_"I'm with child! My lord...!"_

_"Pregnant slaves are expensive, Victoria" I flinched at the awful name he'd given me. Victoria was _not_ my name._

_"I'm not prepared to pay for your upkeep and the upkeep of a child until it is old enough for me to sell off. I'm also not prepared to take your insolence. You belong to me, girl. I brought you in the same fashion as I brought the clothes on my back. You are my possession and you will serve me accordingly"_

_I sobbed, I couldn't help myself. But nothing would happen, no one would come and help me. _

_"Oh Dia! Oh Íosa! Cabhraigh liom!"_

_James laughed "Call on Jesus all you want, Victoria! He won't save you now!"_

_The first blow landed across my back and I cried out in pain._

"Mama?"

I was jerked out of the past and back into the present by the voice of my flower and, although I kept running I said "Yes, Líle?" My voice was a little hoarse and I realised that my breath was hitching. I'd been crying.

"Don't cry, mama" she said, one of her little hands patting my between the shoulders blades "Líle love you, even if no one else love you"

"Thank you" I told my little girl, wanting to reach around and cuddle her to me, but deciding that I should keep running instead "That means a lot to mama"

"Líle love mama"

"Mama love Líle more"

_A/N: Don't say I didn't warn you. The Irish phrase that Victoria used in her flashback translates roughly as "Oh God! Oh Jesus! Please help me!" and you'll find out how James knew that she was calling on them in later chapters. If you liked this chapter hit the green button underneath this and tell me why. If you didn't like this chapter hit the green button underneath and tell me what to improve on. _

_This chapter was for Indigo1100 who left me my first review for this story and my one shot _Witnessed_. Check out her fic _Fire _which is a Victoria/James spank-fic. Go and check it out. I guarantee you've read nothing like it before!_


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N:**__ Sorry it took a while to get this up, I've been having computer issues. Warnings: As always, religious themes, rape, violence and non-consensual slavery mentioned throughout._

**Three**

"One, two, three, four..." I allowed Líle's mindless two year old counting to dull my mind as I walked slowly through the streets of Minneapolis, Minnesota. I was looking for a church,

I hadn't been able to attend mass in Massachusetts because of James and his friend with dreadlocks. I didn't like missing mass, my relationship with God was the only thing that had sustained me for my centuries of torment, even before I was turned, and I wanted to keep it strong.

"Mama" Líle said to me from her position in the sling on my back "What come after seven?"

"Eight, baby" I told her and she said happily "Eight" and then stopped and I smiled, realizing that she wouldn't know what came after eight either "Nine"

"Nine"

"Ten"

"Ten"

"Eleven"

"Eweven"

"Twelve"

"Twelve"

I spotted a church ahead and stopped counting for a moment, Líle tugged on my hair "What next, mama? What next?"

I smiled "Thirteen"

"Thwirteen"

"Fourteen"

"Fourteen"

"Fifteen"

"Fifteen"

I stopped there and reached around to take Líle from my back and said to her "Líle, we're going into the church now. So you have to be a good girl and be quiet for mama"

"Yes mama" she said to me, nodding her little head solemnly "Líle be good"

"Good girl" I said, kissing her chestnut curls and she gave me a quick hug and I carried her into the church. There was no mass on at the moment, but the church was still open and I went in, blessing myself with holy water as I did so. The church was empty and I went up to one of the front pews and knelt down. I sat Líle on the pew beside me and she bowed her little head.

I'd taken her to church with me since I'd found her and she'd picked up little things. She usually bowed her head and closed her eyes. I doubted she really understood what she was doing but, then again, who was I to assume what knowledge the Lord might have granted her with.

For a while, I neither said and thought any prayers. I just breathed and tried to find a space where I could be with the Lord. Even when I reached that space I just stayed silent for a while, letting the Lord see into my heart.

After a few minutes I whispered the Our Father. Líle was familiar with this prayer and she joined in. She stumbled over some of the words and was a little bit slower than I was, but, in all, she said it well.

I prayed in silence for a few more moments before saying the Hail Mary. After I'd said the Hail Mary I went on the continue praying to the Holy Queen.

"Virgin Mary, you are reigning in glory with Jesus, your son.

Remember us in our sadness. Look kindly on all who are suffering or fighting against any difficulty

Have pity on those who are separated from someone they love

Have pity on the loneliness of our hearts

Have pity on the weakness of our faith and love

Have pity on those who are weeping, on those who are praying, on those who are fearful.

Holy Mother, please obtain for all of us hope and peace with justice

Amen"

"Amen" Líle echoed and I jumped slightly, I'd almost forgotten that she was there. I turned to smile at her and she smiled back at me said "Which Mary?"

There were a lot of Marys in the church and Líle got easily confused. I had made up little explanations for her so that she could understand it easier. After all, it was all very well to say 'I'm praying to the Virgin Mary', but that didn't mean anything to Líle. I had to related the figures in my prayers back to the Lord or to Jesus Christ, they were two figures Líle could understand as being 'important'.

"That's Jesus' Mary" I told her "Jesus' mama" and she thought for a moment before saying "Jesus had a mama? Like Líle have a mama?"

I nodded and my daughter reached out her arms for me and I hugged her tightly.

"Líle want to know that prayer"

"I'll teach it to you, baby" I told her "I promise"

"Yay" she said softly and I gave her a kiss and put her back on the pew and went back to my prayers. An hour of so later I got up, bow to the alter, crossed myself, picked up Líle and carried her outside.

And then dived back inside before anyone could do more that catch a glimpse of me!

The sun! The sun was out!

I peaked out through the door and sighed, I was going to have to wait it out in here until the sun either set or moved behind the clouds.

"Sunshine!" Líle called out, looking absolutely delighted "Sunshine! Mama! Sunshine!"

"Shh, Líle, we mustn't yell in the church" I said firmly and her bottom lip poked out and she looked up at me "Sorry mama"

I could never stay mad at her for long and I went and sat down on one of the pews again with her in my lap. I didn't really pray, I just thought. After a while, Líle drifted off to sleep. I stroked her chestnut curls absently for a while, letting my mind wander where it would.

_"It's such a shame, motherhood would suit you so nicely..."_

"NO!" I shouted loudly, jerking Líle suddenly out of her sleep and she looked around wildly for a moment before starting to cry.

"No yelling! No yelling!" she wept and I rocked her back and forth and cuddled her to my chest to calm her down. I would have to watch my thoughts, I couldn't be thinking about...

I shook my head for a moment and sent up a prayer for clear thought and continued to console my baby. After a few minutes she'd calmed down and she drifted back off to sleep. I continued to cuddle her, listening to the sound of her little heartbeat to keep me distracted from the memories - cloudy and human that may be, but they were still terrifying - that were poking at the surface of my mind.

_"Say it! Say 'I love you my lord'"_

I growled under my breath, too low for my baby to hear even if she had been awake. One day, I promised myself, one day I would be free from him.

I heard the church door creak a little and I had Líle in the sling that was still on my back and was quite ready to do anything to protect her when the male vampire said "Whoa, easy there. We're not going to hurt you"

I hissed at being spoken to like a baulking horse and the big male put up his hands and backed away a little. The amazing woman at his side hissed at me and I hissed back. There was a silence.

"Um, sorry, I didn't introduce myself" the big male said. He put an arm around the blonde woman's shoulders and said "I'm Emmett Cullen, this is my wife Rosalie"

Cullen? Surely not, he wouldn't have actually...

"Do you know Carlisle Cullen, by any chance?" I asked warily and Emmett nodded "Yeah, our father"

I sighed, I would have thought that Carlisle, one of the few decent vampires I'd ever met, would have managed to abstain from ever damning anybody else to this half demon life. I'd known that he'd been lonely and I'd seriously considered joining him when I'd first met him, heaven knew I'd been just as lonely as he'd been! But, eventually, after a lot of praying and soul searching, I'd chosen to go my own way. God had given me a path to walk, if I strayed off that path then, of course, God would welcome me back to it at any time, but there would be consequences.

"How do you know Carlisle?" Rosalie asked me and I smiled warily "I met him in Maryland in 1779, we travelled together for a short while. We split ways in what is now Wisconsin"

"You're a friend of his?" Emmett asked me and I shrugged "We haven't spoken in centuries, but I would consider him a close acquaintance"

"Would you help him if he desperately needed you too?" Emmett asked me and Rosalie nodded beside him "If his life depended on it?"

I hesitated. I considered Carlisle a friend and, if it had just been my life at stake, then I would have gone without a second's thought, but I had Líle to consider now. My child had to come first.

"If there was no threat to my baby" I told him and Rosalie's eyes widened

"So you, you know about them too? About hybrid children?"

"I beg your pardon?"

Her face fell "You said that you had a baby, I thought that..."

I reached around and took Líle out of the sling. Miraculously she was still sleeping soundly and Rosalie's face lit up with joy at the sight of her "She's so sweet, what's her name?"

"_Lil-LEE-a_" I said and Rosalie smiled and reached out her arms "May I hold her?"

After a moment's thought I nodded and approached Rosalie, who held out her arms eagerly for my daughter. I placed Líle in the cradle Rosalie had created with her arms and watched Rosalie cuddled my daughter gently to her. I felt a sharp pang of maternal protectiveness (or was it jealousy?) spring to life inside me.

"She's not yours, like, biologically or anything?" Emmett asked and I shook my head, my lips tightly pressed together "Her biological parents beat her, I rescued her and raised her from there"

"Who could beat a baby?" Rosalie gasped and I shrugged "I don't know"

I reached out to take Líle back and, after a moment's hesitation, Rosalie reluctantly handed my girl back to me.

"Look, um, what's your name, sorry?" Emmett said, breaking off mid thought and I smiled, a little more warmly than the first time.

"Victoria" I said.

When I first met someone, I always gave them the hated name I'd been forced to bear in England. If I trusted them enough, I would then tell them my real name. There were very few people who knew that I was not really called Victoria. James knew, but that was because he'd forced me to change my name and he'd never called me by my Gaelic name anyway, Carlisle knew, a pair of Irish mates who'd I met and traveled with for nearly three decades about fifty years ago knew and, when she was old enough, I would tell Líle.

"Well, look, Victoria. Carlisle's in trouble, the Volturi are coming and they're probably going to kill him. We need you to witness something for us, something big. You don't have to fight with us and, if you decide to come and then don't want to witness, that's fine too. But, please, consider it"

I nodded "I'll pray about it"

Rosalie raised an eyebrow as if to say 'I can see why you and Carlisle got on' and Emmett nodded "If you decide to come, we're in Forks, Washington. If you come to the town through the northern parts of Idaho you'll be able to follow our scent to our house"

I nodded and Emmett gave me a smile and Rosalie nodded at me and then they glanced outside. The sun had hidden behind incoming rain clouds and the pair left the church. Despite my earlier plans I didn't. I put my sleeping girl down in one of the pews and knelt down to pray again. I asked for help and guidance in making the decision and, as my concentration faltered as I heard Líle stirring, the voice stirred in my conscience.

_"I'll make the decisions regarding your life, Victoria"_

"No" I told the voice "No, you won't"

"Who won't, mama?" Líle asked sleepily and I turned around at her to smile and pick her up "Don't worry baby" I told her and, giving her a kiss I said "How would you like to go to Washington?"

_**A/N: **__Next chapter, Victoria and Líle are off to Washington to meet the Cullens. If you liked it (or not) tell me, I want to know that people out there are reading this. A simple 'This is great' or 'This sucks' will do fine if you're not good at reviews._

_Thanks for this chapter go to Liyorah. If you like Victoria and James then her stories are compulsory reading!_


	4. Chapter 4

_**A/N: **__I know it took a while to get this chapter up, but I've had so much stuff going on! Alright, so, in this chapter Victoria and __Líle go to see the Cullens and Victoria meets some old friends and an old enemy. Also, a pronunciation note; the name Caoilfhionn if pronounced like Kee-lin._

_WARNINGS: There aren't many for this chapter, there is a reference to non-consensual slavery at the end of the chapter. If you've got this far in, you probably know by now that this is not a story you should read if you don't like dark themes._

**Chapter Four**

For all his oddities, I had to admit that Carlisle had style. His house was a huge, white mansion tucked away in the midst of a forest. Líle liked it.

"Líle house" she said happily from her sling across my back and I laughed "No, baby, this is Carlisle's house"

"Carsile give Líle house"

I laughed and jumped the river easily and my baby squealed happily from my back.

"Fly! Fly!"

I laughed again as I landed and slowed my pace to a human speed and walked up to the front doorstep and knocked on the door. There was swift movement behind the door and it opened to reveal a bronze haired vampire. The boy had the same strange golden coloured eyes as Carlisle had had all those years ago in Maryland, I marvelled over them, amazed that anyone could have so much control.

"Good afternoon" I said to him "I was sent by Emmett and Rosalie Cullen to help Carlisle. I believe he is in danger?"

"Yes" the boy said "Welcome, I am Edward Cullen and the other people you can see are other witnesses. There has been a misunderstanding between us and the Volturi, a very large misunder... oh, but you would know all about it"

He'd obviously seen Líle and I laughed "She's human; Emmett and Rosalie thought she was a hybrid of some description. But I've never heard of a hybrid vampire before"

"Yes" Edward said "They are quite something"

"You know one?"

"My biological daughter" Edward said and I nodded "Emmett Cullen also spoke of a misunderstanding"

"Yes, um, it is difficult to explain, basically, the Volturi believe that my daughter is an immortal child and are coming to destroy her, we're hoping that a show of witnesses all prepared to say that they have seen that she grows will stop them"

I nodded again "May I see the child?" I asked and Edward nodded "Of course, Bella, bring out Renesmee please"

A vampire woman with long, dark brown hair and eyes that were steadily turning amber, indicating that she was new to the Cullens diet, came out with an exquisite child in her arms.

In terms of size, she looked to be about Líle's age, about two years old, but her gaze was perfectly focused and she watched me with a very adult intelligence, she might look two, but I wouldn't be surprised if she had an adult brain.

"She's adorable" I whispered, swallowing my private thought about how no child could be as beautiful as my Líle and admiring the girl, Renesmee.

Even if I hadn't been told, I would have seen immediately that she was Edward's biological child. Her hair was his strange shade of bronze and her face was shaped somewhat like the vampire woman's. Renesmee's eyes were the same shape as the female's - Bella's - and they were a deep, chocolate brown. Bella's eyes before she underwent the transformation?

"I've explained it somewhat" Edward told me "But if you let Renesmee explain it all to you, she has a gift for these things"

I nodded "Do you speak, Renesmee?" I asked her, speaking to her as I would an adult and she nodded "Yes, but it's easier if I show you" she reached out her palm and I looked at it, perplexed.

"What should I do, Renesmee?" I asked her

"I need to touch your face to show you" she explained to me and I leaned forward and Líle grabbed my hair "What happening, mama? What going on?"

"It's ok, baby" I said to her "Mama just need to see something"

I leaned forward again and felt one of Líle's feet kick my back "No! No!"

Worried that she was going to hurt herself I told Bella and Renesmee to give me a moment and lifted Líle out of her sling. Little tears had filled her eyes and she clung to more of my hair as I held her.

"People" she whimpered and buried her little face in my chest. It suddenly occurred to me that, in her two years or so of life, the only contact Líle had ever had with anyone other than myself had been her parents when she was too young to remember. Other than that she'd had very little interaction with anybody and would be absolutely terrified of all the unfamiliar faces.

"It's alright, baby" I crooned gently "They're all nice people. They're..."

"Caoilfhionn? Is that you child?"

I whirled around at the sound of my real name, Renesmee and Bella forgotten as a female vampire moved gracefully to the front of the crowd. Her massive frame moved in smooth undulations, her brunette coloured hair pulled back on her head. Her accent was Irish and behind her stood a hard-faced male with hair as red as my own.

"Siobhan?" I asked, unable to believe it "Liam?"

"Caoilfhionn, child" Siobhan moved towards me, her arms extended and enfolded me in her embrace. She was obviously very conscious of Líle, my old friend didn't crush her, and my baby was also very conscious of Siobhan.

"MAMA!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, her voice filled with terror and she started to cry loudly.

Siobhan took a step back and I gently stroked Líle's back "It's ok, it's ok. Mama's here, don't cry anymore, baby. Don't cry"

"Oh dear" Siobhan said "The poor wee thing"

"She hasn't had much contact with people since I found her" I explained to my friend "She's afraid"

"Don't be afraid of me, _leanbán_" Siobhan crooned gently "I'm not so scary. It's Liam you should be afraid of"

Liam grunted at his mate, not quite able to hide the adoration in his eyes. Despite the hardness of his expression and that fact that he didn't use many words, I knew how deeply Liam cared for Siobhan.

I stroked my baby's back until she stopped crying and she looked up at me with wet eyes and said "Líle don't like it here. Líle want to go back to Masschuis"

I hugged her and said "We can go back soon, baby, but not right now"

"Líle want to go back now!" she said and I shook my head "No baby, we can't go back just yet"

"Why?" Líle asked in a small voice "Why not go back? Líle not like it here. Líle not like people"

I cursed myself for not trying to see that she had more contact with people, I could have enrolled her in a day care center somewhere in Massachusetts couldn't I? Even just for a few weeks!

"Poor thing" Bella came forward, Renesmee still in her arms "I can't believe just how scared she is"

I kissed the top of Líle's head and asked Bella if there was somewhere I could sit with her for a while and Bella nodded and told me to go upstairs.

"Once you're on the landing, go to the doorway at the end of the hall, it's the only bedroom with a bed in it" Bella said and I nodded and I went to go upstairs when there was another knock on the door. Edward sighed and I decided I should just get upstairs before Líle saw even more people. I turned again and put my foot on the stairs and then froze as Edward opened the door.

"Carlisle Cullen begged a favour of me" said the hated voice from my past "He said he needed witnesses for something"

I forced myself to turn around, to confirm my suspicions of who was in the doorway. I hugged Líle even tighter to my chest, futilely trying to hide her behind my hair, make her invisible.

James Henry Witherdale, famously known to British historians as the 'Disappearing Lord', and the man who had made my life a misery for five, long years and then turned me into a demon woman only a few months after he famously 'disappeared' from Witherdale, was standing on the Cullens' doorstep.

No!

His eyes moved around the ring of witnesses and I tried to make myself move, but I couldn't, stress and fear had me absolutely frozen. James' eyes rested for a moment on Renesmee and Bella before moving upwards to where I stood frozen on the stairs, my baby clutched in my arms.

For the first time in over a century, my eyes locked with those of my former master.

_**A/N: **__A cliffie! Reviews encourage me to write faster, hence, if you review, you will know what happens next sooner than if you don't review. This chapter is for LordXeenTheGreat and Indigo1100. You guys ROCK!_

_Disclaimer: I don't own _Twilight _I only wish I did._


	5. Chapter 5

_**A/N: **__I am on a role! This is the fastest update I've done yet so thank you to Indigo1100 and LordXeenTheGreat for your reviews which made me write faster._

_WARNINGS: Another graphic flashback scene from Victoria's past, harassment and mentions of psychological and physical abuse. As always: rape, kidnapping and non-consensual slavery mentioned throughout._

**Chapter Five**

I stared at him and he stared right back at me. He looked absolutely shocked for a moment before his lip curled and he said "Victoria, how lovely to see you again. I was hoping to catch you in Boston a few days ago, but you weren't anywhere I expected you to be, you were avoiding all your usual places"

"James" Edward said "I'm grateful that you're prepared to witness for my family, but please don't taunt our other witnesses. I would like them to stay too"

"Of course" James said "I wouldn't dream of chasing an old friend away"

I wrenched my gaze away from his and turned and walked up the stairs to the room Bella had directed me to. While I relished in being able to turn my back on him, it took all my strength not to glance over my shoulder to make sure that he wasn't going to attack me from behind.

Of course, I knew that I was being irrational. Not even James would attack me in a room full of witnesses. Public torment was not in his repertoire and he used physical torture very infrequently. His tortures were inflicted privately and ate away at your mind and sense of identity and being. Left with him long enough I would have probably forgotten that there was a world outside what he wanted me to do. He would have come into his chambers at Witherdale Manor and I would have jumped up, curtsied to him and would have asked if he'd wanted me to do anything for him. My life would have revolved around doing his bidding to avoid being punished.

I shuddered and put Líle down on the bed. She looked up at me with wet eyes "People" she said again and I stroked her chestnut curls.

"But they're nice people, Líle" I told her "Mama would take you a place with bad people"

"Líle not want people" she told me "Líle only want mama"

"Why, baby?" I asked her and she rolled over and snuggled against me "Mama love Líle"

"The people will love you too. They all think you're a lovely baby"

"No people!"

I was at a loss for what to do. My baby was terrified of all the people around her, but I couldn't stay up here forever. If I was going to witness for the Cullens I actually had to _see _that Renesmee grew and matured and developed. If I was stuck up here, then I couldn't do that.

"I have to admit, I'm surprised that you came here. Don't you usually slink around dark alleys and the like, only showing your face in church?"

I would have probably had a heart attack if I had a heart in the first place. As it was, I spun around, snatching up Líle and I hissed at James.

"How did you get up here?" I demanded, clutching Líle protectively to me and James chuckled darkly "Why, the same way you did, my dear. I came up the stairs"

"Who let you up here?"

"I asked for nobody's permission, I'm a witness just as you are, which means I am allowed to move about the house as I please as long as I don't damage anything"

"Mama, who him?" Líle asked, seeming to sense the tension in the air "Who him?"

"Nobody, baby" I told her "He's nobody"

James laughed and then said "My name is James, Lily. Your mother is a belonging of mine"

"I do not belong to you" I hissed "And her name is Líle, not Lily"

"We shall see" James told me quietly, advancing a step further into the room and I took a step backwards and inwardly cursed myself. A smirk curled James' lips "I've missed you, Victoria"

The only escape route involved going out a door that lead to nowhere and I wasn't prepared to do that. Once I was outside I was fair game and unprotected, at least while I was inside I had a few friends downstairs who might be willing to come to my aid if I needed them.

"James" a voice with a slight French accent came up the stairs and I hissed as James' friend, the dark one with those awful dreadlocks, came up behind my blonde tormentor.

"It's very impolite to harass a lady, James" he said to James and James' expression turned very ugly and I quickly put Líle in the sling on my back. This situation might have begun tense, a fight was boiling on the surface now and my eyes flicked to the door that was my only escape. If it came to it, I would use it, I could probably come back in through a window downstairs it I had to.

But, to my great surprise, James simply gave his friend another very ugly look and then left. Of course, I was thrilled that he was gone but there was something wrong with him giving up so easily. That was not the James I remembered.

_It was cold and dark in the dungeons below Witherdale Manor. I shivered so hard that the chains holding me to the wall rattled and rubbed at my already raw wrists. I wanted to die._

Please God _I prayed silently _Please, just let me die. Don't leave me to linger here.

_I drew my arms tightly around myself, but I had very little body heat to hold in and it seemed to make no difference._

_I started to cry. I'd held off tears all of last night while James took his time raping me, I'd held them off when my struggles earned me a hard slap across the face and I'd held the tears off when I'd scratched out at his face, drawing blood and he'd snatched a dagger from the chest of drawers beside his bed and held it at my throat, nicking my skin._

_"Hold still, disobedient redhead" he'd said "Or I'll cut your throat"_

_A slit throat seemed to me to be a preferable option than living my life as his slave, so I'd refused to hold still. As it was, he'd seen through my suicide attempt and laughed at me, thrown the digger aside and entered me with a force that made me scream in agony. When he'd finished with me and had allowed me to dress he'd grabbed me by the arm hard enough to bruise and said "You're quite a lot of fun, little redhead. But your disobedience is starting to grate on my nerves. If you stopped all your silly struggling and insolence then I wouldn't need to be so rough with you"_

_I'd spat in his face and he'd laughed softly and had said "Have it your way" and dragged me down to the dungeon and chained me to the wall. I'd been here all night._

_I heard the sound of keys jangling outside my cell and I tried to curl into the wall as James Witherdale entered._

_"Have we learned out lesson, yet, Victoria? Or do I need to leave you in here for another night?"_

I took Líle out of the her sling and cuddled her, her warm, little body helping to chase the dark memories of my past.

"Mama, Líle don't like that man" she told me and I nodded "I know baby, mama doesn't like that man either"

"He was mean to mama" Líle said "Nobody should be mean to mama"

I kissed the top of her head and she grabbed a handful of my hair. In other toddlers, this might be seen as a separation anxiety gesture or a playful one. In Líle it was an affectionate gesture and I laughed as she patted the handful of hair she was holding.

"Do you love mama's hair, baby?" I asked her and she nodded "But love mama more"

_**A/N: **__What did you think? The green button underneath really does make me write faster. Also, if you don't mind me doing a little bit of advertising, I have a one-shot called _Witnessed _which can be found on my profile and a note to anyone reading _Help and Support_ that it's on the back burner for a while b/c _God's Gift _is getting more attention from readers, so I'm assuming that people like it more._

_Also, quick question for my readers. I'm thinking of doing a brief portion of the next chapter in James POV. If you like that idea or if you don't please let me know in a review. I don't want to turn anybody off this story._


	6. Chapter 6

_**A/N: **__As all my reviewers said they'd be interested in a chapter in James' POV this chapter is shorter than usual and all in James' POV. As James is a rather sadistic vampire who wants to kidnap a woman and her baby to use as slaves, some of the dialogue in this chapter may be disturbing to some of my readers and there is the mention and explicit threat of violence. _

**Six**

I listened to Victoria's ridiculous baby-talk from upstairs as she played with the silly two year old human she'd become so attached to. I had never been able to fathom, in our human years, why she wanted a child so much. Her sole purpose in life once I'd brought had been to cater for my every whim but, I had to admit, as much as I'd punished her for it, I had loved her disobedience and insolence.

Thinking about it, I could remember having a horse like Victoria once: beautiful, stubborn, wilful... it too had just needed to be broken. That was all that Victoria needed, to be broken. The problem was, once she was broken she might become boring. That horse she reminded me of, once it became accustomed to my whip, my spurs and my saddle, had become boring.

But, that said, I wouldn't mind if Victoria was a little more subservient, waiting and willing to come at my beck and call.

I sat back on the couch I'd taken up in the Cullen house and closed my eyes envisioning the fantasy of Victoria: meek, obedient, submissive... my my, that idea was pleasing!

_"My lord" Sampson, one of the soldiers in the Witherdale Guard, approached me and bowed respectfully before saying "You mentioned, my lord, about being interested in the cargo that was recently imported from Ireland"_

_I nodded and Sampson went on "There are three women who might suit your needs, my lord. You may have your pick of either one"_

_"What's their demeanour, Sampson? What are they like?" I asked and Sampson hesitated before saying "Well, two of them are quite meek, I believe they would suit my lord's purposes well, the third, well, she is something of an anomaly"_

_"An anomaly?" I asked, raising an eyebrow and Sampson nodded "Yes my lord, she, she doesn't seem to understand her, ah, situation..." Sampson trailed off and curiosity raised its head. I had always liked a challenge, I don't know why, but there was something about unfair odds or difficult situations that I found incredibly attractive._

_"How so?" I inquired and Sampson shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot "She's, ah, well she, she, she managed to, ah, when we first caught her, she had a dagger and, um..."_

_I was getting sick of this "Sampson"_

_Yes my lord?"_

_"Stop stuttering or I'll have your tongue cut out"_

_Sampson went white and opened and closed his mouth a few times before swallowing and managed to choke out "No, no, you, you..."_

_"You're stuttering again"_

_Sampson took a breath before saying "My lord, the woman was armed when grabbed and..." Sampson hesitated and swallowed, seeming unsure of how to go on._

_"Hesitating is just a bad as stuttering, Sampson"_

_"Of course, my lord, so sorry my lord. She killed one of our men, my lord"_

_My lips curled into a smirk as I considered it. A woman who could kill highly trained soldiers, who would not come quietly and meekly into slavery, who was probably downstairs now spitting and hissing at her captors..._

_"She did not come quietly?" I asked excitedly and Sampson shook his head "No, my lord. Even now she screams insults in her barbarian tongue"_

_"I'd like to see her, Sampson. Lead the way"_

_Sampson hesitated and I sighed "Do you like your tongue, Sampson?"_

_The man obediently trotted forward, down towards the dungeons "This way, my lord. Ropes won't hold this one, we had to use chains and the dungeon seemed the best place for her" _

I examined my nails idly. I could recall, a few months after that, I had ordered Sampson's tongue be cut out. The man never learned to stop stuttering and hesitating. He hadn't survived long after his tongue had been cut out, I think he'd choked on his own blood.

I had considered, for a time when Victoria was human, cutting her tongue out. But, considering how much I loved hearing her scream, I'd discarded that option shortly after coming up with it.

I sat further back on the couch and then heard my name "James"

"Laurent" I said, turning and facing the man who was beginning to grate on my nerves. He was an oddity, Laurent. He claimed to have been born and raised in the south of France, yet didn't appear to have a drop of French blood in him and he was familiar from somewhere, but I couldn't remember where. In any case, he was irritating. He treated me like a tantrum throwing child and his tone was constantly condescending. But I had to put up with him for my plan to work.

"You shouldn't irritate her so, if you want her back then you should..."

"Laurent" I said interrupting him "I brought Victoria several centuries ago, she was imported cargo from Ireland and she has my crest branded onto her hip. She belongs to me, I own her. Which means I own that little baby she loves so much as well. But, I'm not interested in her coming back to me willingly, I'm much more interested in dragging her back kicking and screaming. You said you'd help me, stop questioning me"

Laurent pursed his lips but said nothing and left me to my thoughts.

Aside from the fact that Victoria would do her utmost to avoid me, and I'd noticed that she was very good at that in the centuries I'd been chasing her, I had another problem marked **Irish Coven**. Siobhan, the leader of the coven, had warned me in extremely explicit terms to stay away from Victoria, who Siobhan called Caoilfhionn. Caoilfhionn. I clearly hadn't beat her hard enough those times after I'd told Victoria her new name. She was not Caoilfhionn anymore, she was Victoria and she was not to go by her Irish name. I'd deal to that when I had her and her 'daughter' firmly under my thumb.

I intended that day to be soon.

_**A/N: **__Did you like it? Did you hate it? Do you hate James right now? Are you dreaming up all sorts of ways I could take him out of the story? Tell me exactly what you think by pressing that lovely green button underneath this note. Also, a quick note on the update of the next chapter, it could be a little later because I have an English oral due and I need to concentrate on that! Thanks to all my reviewers, sweet __Líle cuddles to you all!_


	7. Chapter 7

_**A/N: **__Sooooooooooooo ! I planned to have this chapter up sooner, but I had my Englihs oral to do, and then a random one-shot idea came into my head and then my internet decided to stop working for a while… yeah, you get the picture. So, this is a shorter chapter, exploring a little bit more of Victoria's past and her relationship with __Líle. All the usual warnings apply and Stephanie Meyer owns all things _Twilight; _I own Líle and all original aspects of the plot._

**Seven**

"Look mama!" Líle said, holding up the drawing she'd done "Look!"

I looked down at the picture she'd drawn. It showed two green stick people, one much bigger than the other, standing in a field of green grass with the blue sky behind them and a patch of white in between the sky and the grass. The larger of the stick people had two red lines coming down from either side of its head and the smaller one had two lines coming down from its head in the same fashion. Both stick people had two black dots for their eyes and large purple smiles.

Some time after James had left, Esme had brought up some paper and crayons that had been brought for Renesmee and then stored when it became apparent that the girl had no patience for drawing pictures with crayons. I'd also found out a little more about Líle's fear of people. It appeared that she didn't like being around a lot of people, certainly, when Esme had been up in the room my baby had stayed close by me, but she had been happy enough to talk to Esme and show Esme how she could do a forward role.

"It's very pretty, Líle" I said and she nodded happily "Mama" she said pointing to the larger stick figure.

"Líle" she said, pointing at the smaller stick figure.

I gave her a hug and said "Would you like to go downstairs now?"

Her eyes went wide with terror "No! No downstairs!"

"Alright, baby" I said "Alright"

Líle sat down again and reached for her crayons and started drawing something again. I looked down at her.

"What are you drawing now, baby?"

"A wainbow" Líle said happily and I laughed "Do you like rainbows, Líle?"

"Love wainbows" she said and reached for a green crayon and I caught her little hand in mine.

"Mama!" she protested in her two year old way and I laughed "Green doesn't come first in a rainbow, sweetie"

"What come first then, mama?" she asked and I laughed "Red"

Líle drew a red line and then looked expectantly up at me.

"Orange"

An orange line was drawn.

"Yellow"

Líle glared with two year old concentration at the yellow line as it went slightly off course.

"Now green"

"Gween" Líle said happily and she drew two green lines "Líle like gween best, mama"

I laughed and then it caught in my throat as I remembered a time when I'd been surrounded by green, and how it had steadily turned red as blood soaked the ground...

_"Caoilfhionn!" my mother screamed to me, stuffing baby Úna into my hands and flinging Pádraig, Flann and Ailill at me. My three younger brothers milled around my feet like frightened dogs, whimpering and crying and Úna was screaming at the top of her lungs._

_"Caoilfhionn, get the little ones out of here!" my mother ordered me _

_"Mathair! You have to come too!" I told her, trying to grab her hand with the one of mine that wasn't holding Úna and she shook her head "I have to help my parents and your father. Go, Caoilfhionn! Get the little ones to safety and, for the love of God, don't come back here! Don't even look over your shoulder"_

_It struck me, with a suddenly horrid clarity that I would never see my mother again after this day._

_"Mathair!" I reached out to embrace her but she pushed me away roughly "Run! Is brea lion tu Caoilfhionn"_

_"Is brea lion tu ro-mathair" I choked and then she pushed me away "Run! Run!"_

_I hoisted Úna more firmly into my arms and called to my brothers to follow as I ran into the forests near my home that I knew so well from childhood._

_"Caoilfhionn, where's mathair? Where's athair? Why aren't they coming?!" Flann called in terror and I told him to hurry. I didn't have the heart to tell my little sibling that he wouldn't be seeing either mother or father ever again._

_We ran until, eventually exhausted, we collapsed in the heart of the forest. Úna was screaming and I hushed her gently with kisses and croons and, when she finally fell into a fitful sleep, I put her down and told my brothers too watch her. Exhausted as I was, I climbed a tree to watch for movement or anything else that might show me where the English barbarian soldiers who had destroyed my home might be and if they were coming for me or my siblings._

_A coil of smoke rose into the air and, on the breeze, I could heard the shouts and screams of men, women and children as they were cut down by the soldiers and their swords._

_What kind of people were these?_

"Mama?" came Líle's voice and I realised that my breath was hitching with sobs "Mama? No cry, mama. No cry" and she dropped her crayon and reached out to give me a hug and I gathered her up in my arms and she patted my cheek gently with her hand.

"No cry now, mama" she said, trying to imitate the soothing tone I used when she was sad "No cry. Líle here, mama. Líle love you"

I laughed slightly through my hitching sobs and gave Líle a kiss on her forehead and she touched the spot where I'd kissed her.

"Cold" she said and I laughed and wriggled my fingers over her sides and she squealed and squirmed in my arms and I cuddled her to me again.

"Snow" she said and I looked down at her "What's that, baby?"

"Snow" she repeated "Líle want to see snow one day, mama"

I nodded "Alright baby; mama will take you to see the snow one day"

"That all depends" said a voice from the doorway "If you are in a place where it _does _snow"

_**A/N: **__If you can guess what the Irish phrase in the flashback means and/or who is at the door I will send you a teaser for the next chapter; and please review, reviews really do make me write faster! Also, if you haven't checked it out yet, I recently published a one shot titled _Exodus:21:24-25 _which is told from Victoria's POV as she stands at the window and watches Edward and Bella dancing at prom. I would recommend it but, then again, I wrote it. Have a read of it and tell me if you agree._


	8. Chapter 8

_**A/N: **__Sorry it's been a while, I've been working on another story and dealing with a lot of other stuff so I haven't' had much time to write this one lately. All the usual warnings apply and a new warning comes in. Victoria beliefs very strongly in ghosts and talked about being haunted, if you find this idea disturbing PLEASE do not read this chapter, this theme of being haunted will continue on throughout this story and into the sequel._

_Finally, I would like to dedicate this chapter to the cousin of a very dear friend of mine who recently committed suicide. RIP._

**Chapter Eight  
**

I jumped badly and spun around and then breathed out a sigh of relief.

"Siobhan" I said "I wasn't expecting you"

She nodded and came into the room; Líle watched her enter and abandoned her half completed drawing to hide behind me. I laughed.

"It's alright, baby" I crooned softly to her "It's just Siobhan"

Líle made a small noise and peeped out from behind me and Siobhan smiled warmly at her "Hello little one" she cooed and Líle watched her with wide eyes and then ducked back behind me again and Siobhan laughed and then said to me, her face growing hard and slightly cold "I suppose you were expecting that English devil James Witherdale, were you?"

"I didn't think that anyone else would be at the door to the room I was in" I told her and she nodded "I've told Satan's son to leave you be, I don't think God would mind particularly if we removed that one from the face of the earth"

"Siobhan!" I gasped in horror, snatching up Líle and holding her against me least a lightning bolt come down from heaven to take her away from me "You mustn't assume to know the will of the Lord!"

Siobhan laughed dryly "I will not scorn your faith, Caoilfhionn. I admire you, in fact, for being able to _keep_ faith, but I will say this for myself: God does not exist. There is no 'higher power', there is only here and now. That is what matters"

I said nothing, I felt offended. My faith was all that had stopped me throwing myself in a fire so many centuries ago when I first understood what I was.

There was silence for long moment before Siobhan spoke again. This time her voice was softer, gentler.

"Come back to Ireland, Caoilfhionn" she said to me and I shook my head, surprised by this turn of events, "I can't, Siobhan. I would love to, but I just..."

"Surely human memories should not keep you away" my old friend said gently and I shuddered.

"They do" I told her.

"You run from ghosts, Caoilfhionn" she told me gently and I laughed without any humour "Maybe, but they're ghosts I want to leave in peace"

Siobhan sighed "Alright child, but it's a standing offer"

I smiled my thanks and my old friend squeezed my shoulder and then gave Líle, who had been sitting watching our conversation with wide eyes, a hug and went back downstairs.

I looked down at my chestnut haired flower and she said to me "Mama, what's in I-land?"

_It was the ominous quiet that descended over the forest that first alerted me to the fact that something was wrong. _

_I'd climbed down from the tree where I'd been watching and rejoined my siblings at its base. All of them were sleeping fitfully and would probably wake up if I said their names. I didn't want to wake them up though, better if they stayed asleep._

_I eased the knife I was carrying out of my belt and eased back into the shadows, watching over my siblings like a guardian angel in the night. Then I heard it, the low cursing in rough, barbarian tongues - Englishmen!_

_Did they know my family was here? Why had they followed us into the forest? Not even a fool Englishman would follow an Irishman into the forest, it was a death sentence! Well, if the Englishmen wanted to die, who was I to refuse to grant their wish?_

_They were coming closer, muttering and cursing in their crass language, I would never cripple my tongue with such a vulgar language. I moved forward a little, crouching on the balls of my feet, I was Morrígan, the red-headed warrior queen of the ancient Celts who had inhabited this land long before St. Patrick. I was the Phantom Queen about to destroy the men who had taken my home and my parents from me._

_The men stumbled into the clearing and gazed around in open mouthed shock at the sight of the sleeping children before them. My hand tightened on my knife._

_They moved forward cautiously, wearily, hands on their swords while one man had a large club. The man with the club was obviously the leader and he gestured casually at my sleeping siblings and ave an order in his heathen tongue and the rest of the men pulled out their swords and moved in to kill my siblings._

_Shrieking the battle cry of the warrior goddesses of the religion before mine I emerged from the trees, my knife in my hands. _

"Ghosts, Líle" I told my baby, wrenching myself out of the past "Nothing but ghosts"

"Líle no like ghost" she said and I smiled sadly "I know, baby. Mama doesn't like ghosts very much either"

No, it was not dislike. It was fear. I feared ghosts. Despite the Catholic belief that ghosts didn't exist, the old Celtic mindset of my people could not be entirely crushed. Ghosts - _taidhbhse_ - were something that I believed in as sure as I believed that Jesus Christ was Lord.

But it was the ghosts that had the faces of my siblings that had haunted me during my trouble sleep on the floor of Witherdale Manor so many centuries ago that I feared the most. Ghosts that had caused me to wake screaming in the night and then to scream louder with pain as James Witherdale cracked a horsewhip over me for waking him up.

Úna, Pádraig, Flann and Ailill had haunted my dreams then as surely as they haunted my thoughts now. They all watched me with accusing eyes "Why didn't you save us, Caoilfhionn?" they seemed to be asking "Why didn't you save us?"

"_Fhéach mé_" I whispered, too quietly for Líle to hear "_Creidim mé, rinne mé_"

_I tried. Believe me, I tried._

"You failed" their eyes told me and I hugged Líle to me and she patted my hair "Mama, are the ghost scaring you? Don't be 'fraid mama, Líle protect you from the ghost"

If only she knew just how many ghosts she protected me from already.

_**A/N: **__Did you enjoy it? If you did, please review. I have to admit I had fun delving even further into Victoria's psyche with the ghost thing. The word _taidhbhse _is pronounced _thevshi _and is the Irish word for ghosts. If you want to know more about Morrígan to Phantom Queen an excellent site is _ _where you will find the basic information. As to whether or not she had red hair, I'm not sure, I've seen illustrations of her with red, black, blonde and brown hair, so take your pick. Next chapter will be in James' POV, I hate to say it, but _God's Gift _is drawing to a close!_


	9. Chapter 9

_**A/N: **__Two chapters in one day! I am on a roll! I hate to tell all my lovely readers this, but this is the second last chapter. Chapter ten will finish _God's Gift _and then you will have to tell me what to write next. WARNINGS: All the usual warnings apply, however I would also like to add a second warning for the Victoria's POV part of this chapter. All four of her younger siblings get murdered and it's quite brutal. If you don't want to read that then avoid her flashback. Other than that, enjoy!_

**Chapter Nine**

_**  
**_**James POV**

_**  
**_ "It worked, it worked, it worked!" I exulted, leaning back in the chair. It had been nearly two weeks since Victoria had arrived and, when she'd, finally, left to hunt, she hadn't taken her human brat with her and, for a moment, it just looked _too_ easy. Then I found out that Esme Cullen and the little Irish brat Maggie were upstairs playing with Victoria's little human, I'd smiled. So there would be a challenge after all.

Laurent had agreed to help me and had gone to make sure that nobody came back to the house for several hours. My job would be to get Maggie and Esme out of the house without lying. The without lying part was only because Maggie knew when someone was telling the truth and when they were lying, had it just been Esme it might have been easier.

Laurent had managed to get himself into a rather large spot of bother by seeming to hunt a human in the territory of the massive wolves that could kill vampires but had escaped by jumping into the ocean, it had been a fantastic ploy, the wolves were now on high alert, not trusting Carlisle's assembled guests as much as they had previously.

I'd left the house and, feigning Carlisle's voice, I'd called the Cullens. It had been very easy, as soon as 'Carlisle' told Esme what was happening she and Maggie had left. Lily had been asleep and they'd surmised that it would only take them a few minutes to assure the wolves that their guests were no threat.

I now had the two year old human girl in my lap and was waiting for the right moment to run with her. She hadn't even woken up when I'd lifted her from the bed where she was curled up with her thumb in her mouth. I absentmindedly stroked her chestnut curls and felt her stirring under my hands.

"Mama?" she asked sleepily and I quickly got up and ran out the door with the now terrified toddler in my arms.

"MAMA!" she screamed in terror, squirming in panic as I ran with her "MAMA!"

_The red head, with a temper as fiery as her hair, screamed and kicked and bit she was hauled along the corridors. I laughed softly to myself as one of the men swore as one of her powerful kicks made contact with his shin._

_"Can I beat her, my lord?" he asked in fury and I turned back to face him "No" I said before I continued walking._

_"Damn you!" she screamed at me in her heavily accented English "Damn you to the hottest pits of hell, you murdering devil son! All the curses of Ireland be on you! May snakes crawl up your nostrils and feed on your brain, may toads devour your intestines and stinging insects feed on your flesh!"_

_I turned to face her and the men who were dragging her along "Gag her" I instructed and one of the men, grinning, stuffed several pieces of material into her mouth and she howled in rage through the gag as the men continued to drag her along._

The toddler was crying now as well a screaming for Victoria and I smiled. If not for the fact that Victoria could not have children then it wouldn't be hard to believe that the pair were biologically related.

**Victoria POV**

I came back from my hunt early with the fear that something was wrong. As to what it was that was wrong, I didn't know, but I'd lived by my instincts for long enough to know that _something_ was wrong.

I entered the Cullen house to find it empty. That was odd; surely Esme and Maggie wouldn't leave my baby here _alone _would they?

With rising terror I ran upstairs and had my worst fears confirmed; Líle was gone!

"Líle!" I screamed at the top of my lungs "Líle!" I was half hoping that she might toddle out from behind one of the couches and jump into my arms saying "Don't be 'fraid, mama. Líle right here"

'You failed again' the ghosts of my siblings whispered again 'You failed, Caoilfhionn'

"No" I said sniffing around for any scent "No. I haven't failed, I won't fail!"

The ghosts fell silent as I found the scent I was wanting. I screamed in terror and flew out the door, following the ludicrously clear trail of James Witherdale and my baby as my former master ran south away from Forks, away from anyone who would help me. But I didn't care, all that I cared about was my baby. I had to get my baby back. I had to.

_"Caoilfhionn! Caoilfhionn, help! HELP!" my siblings were screaming, milling around in terror and confusion as I tried to defend them against the English soldiers. I was no longer an ancient Celtic warrior goddess, I was Caoilfhionn O'Heaghra who was fighting for her life and the life of her precious siblings. _

_"Pádraig!" I screamed at my younger brother "Pádraig, get Flann and Ailill, take Úna and run! Run far away from here!"_

_"Caoilfhionn, I'm scared!" howled Pádraig, backing away from the soldiers who tried to kill him "I'm scared!"_

_"RUN!" I yelled at him as I tried to fend off the man with a huge club "RUN! Take Úna and tell Flann and Ailill to..."_

_I felt the most terrific pain in the back of my head and keeled over. I wasn't unconscious but I couldn't move, only watch in horror at the scent that unfolded before me. Pádraig was cut down with contemptuous ease by a soldier and Flann and Ailill met the same fate as they screamed and tried to run away and the man with the club struck my baby sister in the head. Blood and fluid poured from her head and I screamed in rage, fighting the dizziness that threatened to over take me and I got drunkenly to my feet. The men all watched me with something close to contempt and the man with the club said something to me in his barbarian tongue. I looked down at my knife and then up at him and he repeated the order again. I knew he wanted me to drop the knife, to surrender. I wouldn't._

_I threw the dagger and the man couldn't move before it was buried in this throat._

But I had no dagger this time, and James Witherdale's skin couldn't be pierced by one in any case. All I had was speed and the knowledge that there was nothing, nothing, I wouldn't do to save my baby girl from his filthy clutches.

_**A/N: **__Dum, dum, duuuummmmm! What will happen! Oh my gosh! The suspense is killing me! Actually, it's not, because I know what happens. If you review, you will find out as well. Also, as _God's Gift _is nearing its end I need something else to write. I have a list of three stories up on my blog that you can have a look at as well as a picture of Líle as she grows up and the cover art for _God's Gift_. To get to my blog go to my profile and click on the link and then review _God's Gift_ and tell me in your review which story you want me to write and, once I've finished _God's Gift _I'll start writing the story that has received the most votes. Also, just a side note. If you liked _Exodus:21:24-25 _the cover art for that story is up on my blog too._


	10. Chapter 10

_**A/N:**__ Well, here it is. I've been putting it off and putting if off… but it's here. The last chapter of _God's Gift_! Now, the reason it's taken so long, this was a really hard chapter for me to write. I actually had to walk away from the computer occasionally because I found what I was writing too disturbing to write in one big chunk. This is an extremely emotional and highly disturbing chapter and I would recommend having a box of tissues on hand, what you're about to read is NOT nice._

**Chapter Ten  
**

I knew I wasn't in Forks anymore. I was close to the Oregon border and James, for whatever reason was heading for higher ground, but staying near the coast.

He wouldn't drown Líle would he? Not even he could do something as monstrous, as beastly as...

"MAMA!"

The scream rocked me to my core and I sped up and, throwing all caution to the winds I screamed "LÍLE!" in response and I heard my baby scream for me again and the devil's quiet laugh as he listened with a sadistic ear to the proceedings.

I left the trees then and found myself near the edge of a cliff, the wind whipping my hair back from my face. In front of stood James Witherdale. He had my toddler by the ankle, holding her out over the cliff. My heart, which had started beating again the moment I'd taken Líle from her house as a badly abused baby two years ago, stopped. It stopped like the dead organ it was.

"James" I managed to choke, my eyes on my terrified baby girl while she screamed and cried and tried to reach out for me.

James smiled sadistically "Victoria"

"Líle..."

"Lily is quite safe, if rather frightened" James told me "She will remain safe if you do as I say"

"What do you want me to do?" I asked, but I already knew what it was and I already knew I would agree to it.

"Come back" James said "I've missed having you around, Victoria. You always added a certain, ah, how shall I phrase this, _excitement_ to my day"

I swallowed and he continued "Of course, things will be simpler than they were in Witherdale. I would just expect you to follow any instructions I gave you and keep me company at night"

"I'll do it" I told him and he raised one eyebrow, obviously suspicious that I was agreeing so quickly without fuss. "I'll do it if you let Líle go"

"You are not in a position to bargain, Victoria" James told me "I have the hostage" and, as if to prove his point, he let Líle's ankle slip a little in his grasp. My baby screamed and I took a step forward.

"AH!" James said "Ah, ah, ah. You stay just there, Victoria. Lily will be perfectly safe as long as you comply"

I was torn. I would agree, but I wanted Líle to be left out of it.

"Please James" I begged "She's just a baby"

James sighed "How about this, Victoria. You agree and I will give you Lily to carry and cuddle and calm while we walk to where Laurent is waiting for us. Once we are there, you give Lily to Laurent and Laurent will look after her while we reacquaint ourselves with each other"

"You won't hurt her?"

"I swear on my good mother's grave, Victoria, Lily will be safe" James told me with a sardonic smile and I knew full well that his 'good mother's grave' meant nothing to him. He'd probably spit on it and not think anything of it.

"James, please, I will do anything you ask, but leave my baby out of it" I begged and James sighed "What if I promise that I won't hurt her and that Laurent won't hurt her either, then will you come?"

There was nothing else for it. I nodded and James hoisted my screaming daughter into his arms and walked towards me, holding her out. She reached for me, terrified "Mama! Mama! Help! Help! Mama!"

I took her in my arms and she grabbed me and I cuddled her against my chest. She was crying hard, clinging onto my hair for dear life and I considered, just for a moment, running with her. I was faster than James, I could get away...

"If you run, I will catch you again, Victoria" James said "And the next time I catch you and your little brat I will kill Lily and you will watch"

There was nothing I could do. I followed him with my sobbing baby in my arms while we walked. We walked for a very, very long time. By the time we stopped I had a feeling we were quite a way away from where we'd started and nowhere near Forks. This was it. We entered a small clearing and James friend with dreadlocks, Laurent, was waiting for us. He glared at James as we approached.

"I nearly died today" he said coolly, his voice slightly accented "I nearly died and I didn't even get as much as a thank you for creating a diversion"

"Well, I simply told you to create a diversion" James said "I didn't tell you to antagonize the shape-shifters"

Laurent muttered under his breath in a language that sounded like French, it made sense considering both his name and accent were French, and said "Do you want me to take the baby now?"

"Yes" James and he turned to me "Give Laurent, Lily, Victoria"

I gave my little girl a kiss on her forehead, cuddled her close and then went to pass her, however reluctantly, to Laurent.

"Mama! What happening?! What going on?! I'm scare, mama! I'm scare!" Líle clung to me and I explained "Mama has to stay with James for a while, Líle, but I'll see you soon, alright?"

"No! No! Not right! Not right! Don't go mama! Don't go!"

"I love you, Líle" I told her "I love you baby. But you have to go with Laurent. Laurent won't hurt you"

"No! No! Mama!" Laurent had his hands around her middle now and she screamed and kicked and struggled and I let go of her with a reluctance. It felt so wrong to be delivering my daughter into a situation that neither she nor I felt comfortable about. But, if I wanted her to live...

"I love you, baby!" I called to her as Laurent walked away with her, trying to hush her gently "I love you!"

"MAMA!" Líle wailed "MAMA! HELP! MAMA!"

I couldn't watch, I turned away and James put his hands on my shoulders and whispered in my ear "It's good to have you back, Victoria" and his hands slithered to my t-shirt.

"MAMA!"

_**A/N: **__*Bawls at the top of my lungs* Wasn't that awful?! How could I write something so terrible. Now, for anyone who read and DIDN'T vote, get down on your hands and knees and thank Indigo1100 and Liyorah for voting on what I'm writing next. The sequel to _God's Gift _is titled _Only Son of Satan _and, if you leave me a review, I will send you a teaser for the first chapter of that story._

_I'd like to take a moment now to thank Indigo1100, Liyorah and LordXeenTheGreat who read and reviewed… Every. Single. Chapter! A round of applause to you guys and I take my hat off to you! You all ROCK! Thanks for keeping this story going!_


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